English spellings/Catalogs/M

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	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y	Z
Use in English
Alphabetical word list
Retroalphabetical list
Common misspellings

This page lists pronunciations of English words that begin with M. To see a different letter navigate with the table above. The apostrophe is treated as the last letter of the alphabet, after Z.

For a pronunciation key, click on the blue "Catalogs" link below the article title.^[e]

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M = ém print

macádam road comes from McÁdam person; names begin Mac-, with or without a following capital, or Mc-, with a following capital, both pronounced Mək-

macán- is spelt mechán- (= McCánn)

macarôni cf. original Italian macheroni

MacGrégor or McGrégor *Məgrégor (before G, the c sound is lost)

machétê *məshétty

machìne -sh-

machísmo mátch- or mətch- (the 'tch' sound reflects the word's Spanish origin; some speakers however give it an Italian 'k' sound)

mácho mátch-

Mácintyre = MácKintyre (c of Mác is always a hard 'k', even before a vowel)

máckerel

Macleod or MacLeod or McLeod *Məclòud

mádam

madáme

Madêira

mádeleine cake = Mádeleine Paris, person

mâde-up adjective before noun

mádman or -mán; one word

Madràs

madrássa is perhaps the most phonetic of the many spellings of *mədrássə/*mədràssə

mâelstrom

màêstro *mŷstro

máfia BrE; AmE màfia

magazìne

Mågdalen Oxford = Mågdalene Cambridge, both silent g = måudlin sentimental

Mágdalene Mary *Mágdəlín

magistêrial cf. májesty

mágnâte power

mágnet magnetic

Maguîre - u as 'w'

mâid servant = mâde make

Mâida Vâle

mâil letters = mâle female

mâin principle = Mâine America = mâne horse

mâinstream one word

maî taî drink = mŷ tîe

mâize crop = mâze labyrinth = Mâys

májesty cf. majéstic, magistêrial

Majŏrca *Məyŏrkə

majórity

mâkeshift one word

malâise = Malâys

malãria

Malâysia cf. Âsia etc.

Málcolm person *Málcum, cf. tálcum powder

mâle man = mâil post

málíce

måll shopping = måul violence; or pronounced as always in the rhyming Páll Máll

mállêable

målt

Målta

Målvern

Mámmon

mán male = Mánn = Mánne persons = Mán Isle, Manchester

mánakin - see mánnequin

manatêe

Mánchester cf. Chéster: both es in Mánchester are normally weak: *Mánchəstər

Mancûnian

mânger cf. mánager

mâne horse = mâin principal = Mâine State

mándarin

mándatory

mandolíne or mandolín

mâne lion = mâin important = Mâine State

mângy -jy

mánhandle

mâniácal

máníkin, mánníkin - see mánnequin

mán-mâde

mánna heaven BrE = mánor house = mánner way

mánnequin dummy = máníkin dwarf, model, cf. mánakin bird

manoeûvre BrE or manœûvre; AmE maneûver

mánslåughter *mánsslåwter

mántle cf. méntal (minimal pair)

many *ménny, cf. pénny

Màori *Mòwry, rhymes with Lòwry

'Mâpplethorpe Robert *Mâplethorpe: unusual flouting of double-consonant rule in person's name, cf. mâple tree, mápping map

màrch walk = Màrch month

mãre horse = mãyor councillor

margarìne màrj-

Màrgot -gô

Màrgolỳes -lêez

Marìa but: Bláck Marîa

Marîah Carey cf. parîah

Márian, like Ísabél, has an o variant, Márion

Mariánne

marìne

máriner sailor = Márriner person

máritîme

Màrlboro™ cigarette -bərə = Màrlborough person

Mårlborough town *Måwlbərə

màrmalâde

màrquess = màrquis

Márrakesh or -ch, pronounced -sh

márriage *márij, cf. French mariage

Màrs Martian = màrs mar

Marsèille *Marssây

màrshal officer = Màrshall = Màrshal persons = màrtial war = Màrtial poet

màrten animal = màrtin bird = Màrtin person

màrtyr -tər

Mãry cf. márry

Márylebone *Márryləbən

māsk face = māsque ball BrE = AmE mósque Islam

Massachûsetts

mássacre -ker

mássacring

mássàge -àzh; AmE *məssàzh

massëuse -ëz; AmE -ûz

māsterpiece one word

māsterstroke one word

másturbate

Matabêlêlánd

matêrial -al, unlike in French

mátinèe *mátinây: matinée, French accent can be written in BrE but not in AmE

mâtrix

máttress

måudlin sentimental = Mågdalen Oxford = Mågdalene Cambridge

måul lion = måll shops

Maurice person BrE = Mórrís name; AmE Maurìce; see -óris in Retroalphabetical List

mauve colour *môav, cf. move *moôv movement

mây perhaps = Mây month, person

mâybe perhaps only meaning ‘perhaps’ is one word, cf. mây bê verbs: mâybe it’s trûe; ít mây bê trûe

mâyhém

mãyor councillor = mãre horse = Mãir person, cf. Mâyer person, mâjor

McCánn = first two syllables of mechánical

McEnroe *Máckenroe

McIlroy *Máckilroy

McGóugh *MəGóff

McKénzie = MacKénzie = Mackénzie Mək-

McNamàra *Mácna-màra

mê myself = Mêe person

mêad

méadôw

mêaly-mòuthed

mêan intend, generous = mìên face

méant mean cf. -ment suffix

mêantime one word

mêasles rhymes with wêasels

méasure *mézher

mêat flesh = mêet up = mête appropriate

mêatball one word

mechánic məká- cf. machìne məsh-

mechánical məká-

méchanism mékə-

médal medallion = méddle interfere

mêdia

mêdial

médical

médicine - the first i may be silent

medìêval or medìaêval *medì-êvəl or *medêvəl

Mediterrânean cf. ‘terra’, Latin for ‘earth’, so it is not spelt *Meditterânean

Medvédev *Midvyédiff

mêet encounter = mêat eat = mête suitable, out

megalomâniac

melanchôlia -nk-

mélancholy -nk-

Mélbourne *Mélbən, cf Mílburn, BrE *Mílbən

méltdown noun one word

meménto remember cf. môment, moméntous time: remêmber, a memênto ís an âid to yŏur mémory, an aide-memoire...

mémoir *mémwàr (no final -e unlike in French original)

ménace rhymes with Dénnis and ténnis (-əss or -íss)

menágerie

méntal cf. mántle (minimal pair)

méntǒr

ménû *ményu

Ménuhin *Ményuwin

Ménzies Robert

Menzies Campbell *Míngiz

Méopham *Méppəm

mêre

meringue *məráng

mërmaid

mesméric

mésmerise

Méssiàen

Méssrs Mister r as er, cf. mésser mess

Mésurier John le = méasurer measure

métal metallic = méttle quality

metamŏrphôsis - either stressed

meteorólogy mê-

mête suitable, out = mêet encounter = mêat animal

mêter measure = mêtre distance, rhythm BrE; all three meanings in AmE are mêter

méthane AmE; BrE mêthane

methínks one word

méthod

methódical

méthýl

méthylâted spírits

mètièr can have French accent métier *mâytiay

meŵs street, cat = mûse think, inspiration

mézzanìne méts- or méz-

mézzo *métso

mì doh-re-mi = mê I

Mîámì

miaòw

mîca

Mîchael *Mŷcle, rhyming with cŷcle

mîcrô-ŏrganism hyphenated

míd does not require hyphen

middây (pronounced like two words: pause on d sound to indicate both ds pronounced, but no hyphen)

Míddlesbrough England *Míddlezbrə; cf. Míddlesborough Kentucky

mídnight *mídnîte

mídwîfe

midwífery

mìên face = mêan intend, ungenerous

míffed rhymes with ríft etc.

mîght perhaps, power = mîte small, arachnid

mìgraine

mîke microphone = Mîke Michael

Milán Italy í, cf. Mìlán person

mîles mile = Mîles person

mílitary

milítia *milíshə

millénnium

mímic rhymes with gímmick

minarét

mînd brain, care = mîned mining

mîndset noun one word

mîne me, bomb, coal

mînefield one word

mîner coal = mînor small, young, major

minestrônê

míni small = Mínnie person

míniature *mínitcher

mínímum

mínistry cf. mónastery

mínkê *mínky

mínstrel

mînus

mínuscule, now also míniscule

mínute time *mínít

minûte tiny mî-

minûtiae *minûshî or *minûshìî

mîre

mís- not hyphenated, but joined

miscellâneous -səl-

miscéllany -sél-

míschíef

míschíevous

misconcéption

mislêad

misléd

misógynist

misquôte

míss aim = Míss female = mís- wrong

míssal prayers = AmE míssile hit, cf. BrE pronunciation míssîle

misshâpen *míss-shâpen

Mississíppì

Missoûrì *Mizoôry; some AmE speakers say *Mízoôrə

misspéll

místral wind cf. místrîal trial

misunderstánding

misûse

mîte small, arachnid = mîght perhaps, power

mnemónic nem-, silent m

môbîle move

Môbìle Alabama

módel *móddle, cf. môtél

Mohámmed or Muhámmad *Məhámid

mŏisten *mŏissən

Mojàvê *Məhàvì

môld shape = môuld mouldy

mólecule

molécular

móllycoddled one word

Mólotov -f

Mólineûx *Móllyneŵ

móllusc (AmE also móllusk)

môment cf. meménto

moméntous cf. meménto

Mónaco

mónarch BrE -nək, AmE -nrk or -nàrk

Monegásque -ásk

mónestery *mónistry, cf. mínistry

mònetary

mòney (see mòní-)

mónicker name = móniker name; BrE = Mónica person

mòníes = mòneys and mòníed = mòneyed - variant spellings

mònk

monópoly = Monópoly game (Monópoly mòney)

Montána BrE and AmE, cf. AmE banána but BrE banàna, with the usual BrE pronunciation of this ending; also Alabáma and Louisiána are both BrE and AmE

mònth *múnth cf. mòunt *máùnt

Montgómery = Montgómerie

Montreål -ê-

moôg or *môag; or M-

moôn

mŏor land = mŏre plus = Mŏore = Mŏre names

moôt mention cf. mûte silent

môped mope

môpéd bike

móral BrE, AmE mŏral virtuous

morāle confidence

mŏrès -âyz

mŏrning early = mŏurning death

mŏron

Mórris person BrE = Maurice person, rhyming with lóris, Bóris and Dóris (all ŏ in AmE)

mŏrtgage *mŏrgij

mŏrtíce or mŏrtíse

mosâíc pattern = Mosâíc Jewish *môzâíc

Móscôw - some AmE speakers say Móscòw

mósque Islam *mósk AmE = BrE māsk face = másque ball, cf. músk

mosquìto -skêeto

môte eye = môat castle

móthball one word

motìf pattern mô-, cf. môtive reason

moûe pout = moô cow

mòuntaínous -tínəss

mŏurn dead = mŏrn morning

mòuse rodent, cf. moûsse

Mòusehole Cornwall *Mòuzəl

moûsse chocolate = moôse animal, cf. môuse

moustāche BrE *məstàsh; AmE mústache, *mústásh

mòuth noun th unvoiced, verb th voiced, same spelling, cf. bréath noun th unvoiced, brêathe adding an e when becoming a verb, th also voiced

mòuthpiece one word

move û

Môzart *Môatsart

Mr abbreviation of míster, full form rarely used

Mrs *míssíz; abbreviation of míssis or míssus, of which the full form is rarely used; = mísses mistakes, girls

mûesli *meŵsley

Mûïr name *meŵer

Mujahedìn

múll over = Múll Scotland

múlti- is a prefix, not a word, and must be either joined to the next word, as in múltitask, or hyphenated, as always before a following vowel, as in múlti-instruméntalist

múltiplŷ verb

múltiplỳ adverb

múm quiet, mother BrE, cf. AmE móm mother

Mùmbaî, either stressed, unlike the word it has replaced, Bombây

múmmy body, mother BrE, cf. AmE mómmy mother

múnch -ch sound, cf. Édvàrd Mùnch, *Moònk

Mûnich -ík

Múrraỳ = Mòray Firth = Múrry, cf. húrry

mürky

múscle body = mússel shellfish

Múscovite

mústáche AmE *mústásh; BrE moustàche *məstàsh

mûse think, inspiration = meŵs street, cat

musêum mûz-

mûsic current = mûsick archaic

Mùslim BrE, AmE Mú-, both -z-

múslin

mústn’t *mússənt

mûte silent cf. moôt mention

mŷ

Mỳánmàr (any stressed), alternative name of Bürma, used by the junta and Al-Jazeera

mŷnah bird BrE = mînor lesser = mîner mines

mŷre

mýriad

mÿrtle

mýstery *mistry

mystìque *mistêek, cf. mistâke

mýth

myxomatôsis